Jared Bednar confirmed Sunday that the highly-touted prospect has earned a spot on Colorado’s opening-night roster after a five-point preseason.
In our last story on T.J. Hughes, we wrote that the young forward had “changed the fight” for the final spot on the Colorado Avalanche’s opening-night roster.
Now, the fight is over.
After a standout training camp and a preseason that ended with a three-goal performance, the Avalanche have officially decided to give the highly-touted prospect his opportunity.
Jared Bednar confirmed Sunday that Hughes will begin the regular season with Colorado’s main roster.
He’ll also begin the season on Colorado’s first power-play unit, with Nathan MacKinnon moving to the right wall as the Avalanche look to find the right combination for their top unit.
Hughes forced his way into the conversation with his play and preparation throughout camp before putting an exclamation point on his case Friday against the Winnipeg Jets, scoring a hat trick in Colorado’s 4-3 victory, finishing the night with a four-point game.
Bednar made it clear Sunday that Hughes has earned the chance to show what he can do when the games start counting.
“Elite brain, great skill level. Makes plays,” Bednar said. “I think he’s a guy that can produce offense for us, done it at every level. Does not look uncomfortable at all. A little bit more of a mature young guy, age-wise. And I think he’s elite in certain areas of the game. So we’re going to give him an opportunity. He’s going to play. He’s starting with us.”
Bednar has also enjoyed watching Hughes make the transition from college hockey to the Avalanche organization.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with him through training camp, through exhibition. I look forward to getting to start the year and working with him some more, because I think he can help us.”
That opportunity comes after Hughes put together one of the most productive careers in recent Michigan history.
The 2025-26 season was his best yet. As a senior captain, Hughes posted 57 points across 40 games, leading the Wolverines in scoring while earning Big Ten Player of the Year and First-Team All-American recognition. He was also named one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
Over four seasons in Ann Arbor, Hughes accumulated 179 points in 156 games. He also finished his college career as the Big Ten's all-time conference scoring leader with 108 points.
Those numbers help explain why the Avalanche targeted Hughes, but his appeal extends beyond the scoresheet. His leadership, competitiveness and approach to development have also stood out to the organization, giving Colorado another reason to believe he can handle the jump to the NHL.
Still, entering Friday's preseason finale, the roster decision wasn't officially settled.
Hughes and Gavin Brindley appeared to be among the young forwards competing for an opening-night spot, and Hughes certainly didn't hurt his chances against Winnipeg.
His three-goal outburst made the decision considerably easier, but there was still one question worth asking: Had Hughes already done enough to make the team before he scored the hat trick?
The Hockey News asked Bednar about that Sunday.
“No. No, we didn’t make any decisions till yesterday after the game. You're trending in certain ways and then things can fall off for players. Someone else could have a good night. You’re going to use the whole time you have to make the decision.”
“For me, that’s all of training camp, all of exhibition, and then we get together and start making decisions on what we’re supposed to look like once [the season starts].”
Hughes ultimately left the preseason with five points in four games, including three goals in his penultimate outing.
Now, the question isn't whether he'll make the Avalanche.
It's what he can do with the opportunity.
